Elementary and Middle School Programs
Sarah Bieszczad: Junior Elementary Teacher, Room 9
Sarah Bieszczad attended theUniversity of Toledo in Ohio Toledo , Ohio Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center
Daniel Blanco: Junior Elementary Teacher, Room 10
Daniel Blanco, a native of Mexico City, earned his BFA in graphic design from the Escuela Michoacana de Diseño (Michoacana School of Art and Design) in Morelia, Mexico, and then spent time in Spain with other young artists. In 1994 Mr. Blanco came to Chicago where he studied at the School of the Art Institute and volunteered at the Mexican Cultural and Educational Institute of Chicago. He also worked in Morelia at the Casa de Cultura (Cultural Center) where he taught an art class to high school students. It was through this work that he discovered a love of education. He returned to Barcelona in 1999 for further art studies and came back to Chicago to become the gallery director of the Arte de Mexico Gallery. In 2005, Mr. Blanco attended the elementary training program of the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, earning Montessori elementary accreditation. Prior to coming to Alcuin in 2008, he worked at Near North Montessori School in Chicago.
Denise Morales: Junior Elementary Assistant, Room 10
Ramona Drozek: Senior Elementary Teacher, Room 11
Ramona Drozek's father was a nuclear civil engineer who designed and built nuclear power plants. His career allowed her family to live both in theU.S. and Europe during her youth. A graduate of De Paul University Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center
Vanesa Gerchkovich: Senior Elementary Teacher, Room 11
Megan O'Sullivan: Director of the Adolescent Program, The Gale House
Megan O'Sullivan hails from Brooklyn, New York, where she attended a small, progressive school from second grade through high school that inspired her love of education. After studying Theater Studies and English at Yale, Ms. O'Sullivan moved to Chicago in 2001 to pursue a career working with children. After a one-year stint gallivanting around Navy Pier in polka dots as a member of a children's theater troupe, she became an assistant teacher at Chiaravalle Montessori School in Evanston. She fell in love with Montessori education, and obtained her Elementary training from Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center. In 2004 she joined the Alcuin community, where she worked with junior elementary in Room 10. While teaching, Ms. O'Sullivan pursued her Masters in Education in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, which she completed last July. She is now thrilled to be part of Alcuin's new adolescent program. Every day brings surprises, challenges, laughter and discovery. As the middle schoolers would say, "It's awesome!" When not teaching, Ms. O'Sullivan enjoys reading, songwriting, pilates, and cooking, which she is thrilled she finally learned how to do!
Phillip McFarlane: Middle School Teacher and Director of Theater Arts
Phillip McFarlane joined the faculty of Alcuin Montessori in 2001 as an assistant in the Senior Elementary program. In the summer of 2008 he completed his Montessori Middle School training in Cleveland and now divides his time between the Middle School and theatre arts. He began his professional acting career at the St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre with the play In White America. After moving to Chicago, he began teaching children's theatre and joined the faculty at Alcuin. Mr. McFarlane has integrated his extensive theatre background into the school curriculum. And you can see him onstage at various theatre productions around Chicago.
Sarah Bieszczad: Junior Elementary Teacher, Room 9
Sarah Bieszczad attended the
Eunice Piedrahita: Junior Elementary Assistant, Room 9
Daniel Blanco: Junior Elementary Teacher, Room 10
Daniel Blanco, a native of Mexico City, earned his BFA in graphic design from the Escuela Michoacana de Diseño (Michoacana School of Art and Design) in Morelia, Mexico, and then spent time in Spain with other young artists. In 1994 Mr. Blanco came to Chicago where he studied at the School of the Art Institute and volunteered at the Mexican Cultural and Educational Institute of Chicago. He also worked in Morelia at the Casa de Cultura (Cultural Center) where he taught an art class to high school students. It was through this work that he discovered a love of education. He returned to Barcelona in 1999 for further art studies and came back to Chicago to become the gallery director of the Arte de Mexico Gallery. In 2005, Mr. Blanco attended the elementary training program of the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, earning Montessori elementary accreditation. Prior to coming to Alcuin in 2008, he worked at Near North Montessori School in Chicago.
Denise Morales: Junior Elementary Assistant, Room 10
Ramona Drozek: Senior Elementary Teacher, Room 11
Ramona Drozek's father was a nuclear civil engineer who designed and built nuclear power plants. His career allowed her family to live both in the
Vanesa Gerchkovich: Senior Elementary Teacher, Room 11
Megan O'Sullivan: Director of the Adolescent Program, The Gale House
Megan O'Sullivan hails from Brooklyn, New York, where she attended a small, progressive school from second grade through high school that inspired her love of education. After studying Theater Studies and English at Yale, Ms. O'Sullivan moved to Chicago in 2001 to pursue a career working with children. After a one-year stint gallivanting around Navy Pier in polka dots as a member of a children's theater troupe, she became an assistant teacher at Chiaravalle Montessori School in Evanston. She fell in love with Montessori education, and obtained her Elementary training from Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center. In 2004 she joined the Alcuin community, where she worked with junior elementary in Room 10. While teaching, Ms. O'Sullivan pursued her Masters in Education in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, which she completed last July. She is now thrilled to be part of Alcuin's new adolescent program. Every day brings surprises, challenges, laughter and discovery. As the middle schoolers would say, "It's awesome!" When not teaching, Ms. O'Sullivan enjoys reading, songwriting, pilates, and cooking, which she is thrilled she finally learned how to do!
Phillip McFarlane: Middle School Teacher and Director of Theater Arts
Phillip McFarlane joined the faculty of Alcuin Montessori in 2001 as an assistant in the Senior Elementary program. In the summer of 2008 he completed his Montessori Middle School training in Cleveland and now divides his time between the Middle School and theatre arts. He began his professional acting career at the St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre with the play In White America. After moving to Chicago, he began teaching children's theatre and joined the faculty at Alcuin. Mr. McFarlane has integrated his extensive theatre background into the school curriculum. And you can see him onstage at various theatre productions around Chicago.
